Keywords:

When the brutal death of a provincial court judge triggers an investigation into a $5 million embezzlement scheme, citizens of Pineview, a small community in central Canada, are left grappling with the shock and sudden tragic loss. In the midst of the town’s turmoil, Vivian Clarke, a young lawyer, together with Bruce Hathaway, an indigenous RCMP detective, navigate the maze of clues and false leads in an attempt to solve the mystery of the murder and fraud. Their close professional involvement leads to a friendship that neither of them could have anticipated. Vivian, who has lost both of her parents, also faces the challenge of rebuilding her personal and professional life. To do so, she must overcome the anxieties from her past, which threaten to prevent her from experiencing the sense of peace and tranquility she so desperately desires.

Esther Matz, JD, holds a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Manitoba. Now retired, she practised law in the area of civil litigation and municipal law for thirty-five years. She has lived in rural and urban Manitoba for the greater part of her life and can speak authoritatively of that part of the world, having handled cases up north and in mining towns and various communities throughout the province. This is her first novel and the first installment in the Pineview series.